Gas prices rise, summer 'staycations' and home entertaining more popular

(ARA) - With gas prices predicted to soar ever higher this summer, instead of planning large trips and eating out, many Americans are turning to 'staycations' and entertaining at home to save money. Fortunately, with the growing popularity and convenience of video streaming services coupled with a little creativity and an inspired food and wine pairing, it's easier than ever to create a beautiful evening at home and make lasting memories with family and friends. "A beautiful evening can be as simple as watching a favorite movie, while enjoying an excellent meal and delicious wine at home," says Emmy award-winning chef and cookbook author Giada De Laurentiis. For cinematic and entertaining inspiration, Giada offers the following movie night entertaining ideas: * For romance movies, set the stage with traditional decorations like red roses and candles and pay homage to Romeo and Juliet by incorporating Italian-themed ingredients like prosciutto into your dishes. When preparing heartier meals, add depth to your sauces with Merlot. * For romantic comedies with friends, encourage socializing with movie-themed games to accompany your dinner conversation and consider a crisp, light-bodied red like Pinot Noir. * For action-adventure, spice it up with your own cast of bold, colorful flavors. Spicy notes from a Chianti will complement your entrees and consider using stemless glassware to minimize spilling. * For dramatic movies, lighten the mood with pass-around desserts, paired with a light-bodied and refreshing glass of Pinot Grigio. Giada has also partnered with Bella Sera(R) wines to launch the "Beautiful Evenings with Bella Sera" recipe contest. Through June 30, 2011, home cooks are invited to enter the "Beautiful Evenings with Bella Sera" recipe contest by submitting an original recipe, along with a creative movie recommendation and Bella Sera wine pairing to www.bellaserawine.com. Prize package details are also available on the website. Movie nights aren't complete without festive fare. If romance is in the plans, here's Giada's take on risotto paired with a delicious Bella Sera Pinot Noir. Red Wine Risotto with Peas "Bella Sera Pinot Noir is well balanced with acidity and sweetness. It's velvety with dark plum aromas and cherry flavors and pairs well with rustic foods," comments Giada. Yield: four servings Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup finely chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup arborio rice, or medium-grain white rice 1/2 cup Bella Sera Pinot Noir 1/3 cup frozen peas, defrosted, optional 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus additional for garnish Salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions: Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the broth and keep it warm over very low heat. Melt the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about eight minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Stir in the rice and cook for about two minutes until the rice is toasted. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed, about one minute. Add 3/4 cup of hot broth; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about six minutes. Repeat, adding 3/4 cup of hot broth two more times, stirring often, about 12 minutes longer. At this point, the risotto can be made four hours ahead. Refrigerate the risotto (the rice will still be firm) and remaining broth, uncovered, until cool, then cover and keep them refrigerated until ready to proceed. Bring the remaining broth to a simmer, then cover and keep it warm over very low heat. Stir 3/4 cup of hot broth into the partially cooked risotto over medium heat until the broth is absorbed and the risotto is hot, about three minutes. Add the remaining broth and simmer until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, about five minutes longer. Stir in the peas and parsley. Add the 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Spoon the risotto into bowls. Sprinkle additional cheese over and serve. Show: Everyday Italian, Romantic Dinner Episode Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis BELLA SERA Italian Table Wine, (C) 2011 Villa di Bella Sera, Healdsburg, CA. All rights reserved.

Content provided courtesy of ARAcontent® with permission.

Seven special event marketing tips

Another year in operation is cause enough to celebrate if you're a small-business owner, but what can you do to get other people celebrating with you? Special events are a great way to build awareness about your business, and a fun way to interact with your customers. Here are seven ways to get the most out of your special event: * Attract customers with special deals, giveaways, samples or drawings. Once you get them in the door with freebies, they'll be tempted to shop. * Do something for charity. A great way to get your business's name out there - and build good will within the community - is to promote a good cause. Host a cleanup day at a nearby park or donate something from your business to a silent auction. * Celebrate your event by displaying special event logos in your store and on promotional materials. If you're celebrating another year in business, anniversary seals are a nice way to commemorate the occasion. * Promote your event on the Web. Create a Facebook page for the event and send out email notifications. Use email marketing tracking services offered by companies such as EasyContact by Deluxe to see if your event is creating more interest than normal messages, or last year's event. * Partner with a local musician or entertainer to add to the atmosphere of the event, and provide another reason for folks to show up. * Organize something fun for your customers that relates to your business. For example, if you own a bike shop, host a bike ride along a trail in your town and provide some goodies to people who show up for the ride. * Host a contest for your customers and offer a prize to the winner. You could even offer free merchandise or a cash prize to the person who creates the best poster to promote your event. Putting on a special event is a great way to get your customers more involved with your business, so if you're planning an event, ask your core customers for ideas. Chances are others who may be interested in your business would like the same things.

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Common legal issues you might face, but haven't thought about

(ARA) - For most law-abiding Americans, legal assistance may not be a service you think you could need at a moment's notice. While you may think of legal assistance in connection with a criminal offense, most of the legal work done in America is for people facing much more ordinary circumstances. You may not realize it, but most Americans will have a legal need at some point in their lives. In fact, seven out of 10 Americans said they experienced a legal event within the past year, according to a recent survey conducted by ARAG, a legal solutions provider. If having a legal plan in place seems unnecessary, consider the following instances where you may need legal assistance: * Wills and estate planning. Planning for your own death isn't always the most pleasant thought, but it's a necessary part of life for all of us, as well as perhaps the most common legal need for Americans. Yet most people don't have a will. * Power of attorney. If you were unable to care for yourself or make financial decisions on your own, a power of attorney document would delegate those duties to a person you trusted. * Contractor settlements. Have you ever paid for work done on your home only to find it defective or incomplete? Legal services could be helpful to prevent or resolve these types of disputes and get the homeowner the proper restitution. * Identity theft. In an increasingly complex world, consumer fraud and identity theft happen even to those who take all the precautions to protect themselves. If you ever find yourself in this situation, you may need legal assistance to help you recoup what was stolen and protect your good name. * Property disputes. Whether you're an owner or a renter, there are all types of issues, such as property damage that could arise that may require a legal solution. Given these examples, it's easy to see how you might find yourself in a situation where legal assistance could be necessary. But have you ever thought about where you would go to get legal help? One option is to enroll in a legal plan, which offers convenient access to a nationwide network of attorneys and legal resources when a legal need occurs. These types of plans, which are offered by providers like ARAG, a global leader of legal insurance, give members the peace of mind knowing that they'll have immediate access to professional services and resources when a legal need arises. Legal plans can often cost less than a roadside assistance membership and are usually offered through employers or organizations, although some options are also available to individuals. To find out more about how legal plans work, visit www.ARAGgroup.com. Many times in life, we don't think about the worst that could happen until it's too late. Preparing yourself ahead of time for everyday legal issues you may have to deal with can help you avoid a desperate situation.

Content provided courtesy of ARAcontent® with permission.

Be your own advocate: Get the information you need

(ARA) - Getting a diagnosis of any kind of cancer can be frightening. One of the first things many patients do is learn everything they can about their illness, including what options for disease management and treatment are available. This can be challenging if a person's cancer is considered rare, which defined by the National Institutes of Health as a cancer that affects fewer than 200,000 people. Patients with rare cancers are more likely than those with more common cancers to say they lack access to credible and reliable information, causing them to feel alone in dealing with their disease, according to a national survey. For many like newlywed Carolina Williams, getting the right diagnosis and information about her GIST, a rare and life-threatening cancer, was important to both her and her family. One day, about a year into her marriage, Carolina Williams became extremely bloated and experienced terrible stomach pains which came on suddenly. Her husband knew something was seriously wrong when he found her unconscious on the floor from pain. He immediately brought her to the emergency room. There a physician conducted a CAT scan which revealed a large mass in her stomach that was diagnosed as a benign cyst. After four days of medical procedures to drain the cyst, a 7-pound solid tumor was removed and tested for cancer. "Once my doctor removed the tumor, I wanted to make sure that the hospital did the proper tests to check if the mass was cancerous," says Carolina Williams. "I wasn't going to leave it up to chance so I requested that an oncologist perform the tests. I am glad that I pushed for this, because I was soon diagnosed with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor, or GIST, which is considered a rare form of cancer. I was then able to get the information I needed to help understand my disease." When it comes to helping manage their own disease and acting as their own advocate, patients should seek out resources both through their physicians and reliable online websites. For some rare cancers, like GIST, there are a number of online resources, including www.GISTTheFactsInfo.com, an educational site for GIST patients and their families that was developed by Novartis Oncology. "It is so important for people with cancer, especially those with a rare cancer like me, to act as their own advocate when it comes to getting the right diagnosis, disease information and ultimately the right disease management plan," says Carolina Williams. "Working with my doctor and learning more about my disease has helped me focus on the other important things in my life, including enjoying time with my husband and taking care of my son. They mean the world to me." About Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST) GIST is a rare, life-threatening cancer of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Most cases of GIST develop in the stomach or small bowel. They often do not cause any specific symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose and to treat. The exact number of people diagnosed with GIST each year is not known. In the U.S. alone, the incidence of GIST is estimated to be up to 6,000 new cases each year. For more information about GIST go to www.GISTTheFactsInfo.com.

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How to add value to your bathroom with an affordable steam shower

(ARA) - Many people planning a bathroom remodel think a home steam shower with aromatic oils, mood lighting and music speakers must be out of their remodeling budget range. Surprisingly, this might not be a correct assumption. If your bathroom remodel includes plans to open the walls and you're already paying for labor costs, you can include a quality steam shower system for as little as $1,700. Starting at about the size of a briefcase, generators from Mr. Steam fit neatly inside a closet, under a bench or inside a vanity. They can be positioned up to 60 feet from the steam shower enclosure itself, even on another floor. The quality of the steam room generator is critical to long-term, hassle-free enjoyment. As with any major investment for your home, durability counts, so look for industrial-grade components that will deliver reliable performance through years of use despite demanding water conditions. Follow these five tips for buying the best steam room generator. 1. Look for "Intelligent" steam generators that operate from a single platform that can be quickly and easily upgraded with plug-and-play technologies - instead of bulky, expensive add-ons - for enhancements such as music, aroma and color therapies. Controls should be simple and intuitive for both user and installer, easy to program and easy to read. 2. Insist on a system with industrial-grade heating elements and other heavy-duty components. Such a system will deliver the most reliable performance over the life of the product, especially if you live in a hard-water area. 3. Spend more time steaming than cleaning. Look for systems that drain the steam-shower generator after each use to avoid calcium buildup. This type of system automatically delivers clean steam every time. 4. Check for certification by a respected, independent agency, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), CE (Europe's Conformite Europeenne) and NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana). 5. Ask about system diagnostics, and be sure the heating elements of the steam generator can be serviced separately, rather than replacing the entire steam generator. Best of all, a home steam shower delivers tangible wellness benefits, recognizable to everyone who has ever used a vaporizer to facilitate breathing or draped a towel over a steaming pot of water for deep facial cleansing. "I have long recommended steam therapy for its health benefits and use it frequently myself," says Dr. Andrew Weil, author of "8 Weeks to Optimum Health." "It relaxes mind and body and neutralizes stress." Steam room benefits are perfect for active, healthy adults looking to stay that way. They are now within reach of just about anyone planning a bathroom remodel. For more information, visit mrsteam.com.

Content provided courtesy of ARAcontent® with permission.